Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!jarthur!uunet!mcsun!ukc!strath-cs!cs.glasgow.ac.uk!bru-cc!eesrajm From: eesrajm@cc.brunel.ac.uk (Andrew J Michael) Newsgroups: comp.os.minix Subject: Re: A few questions about ST-Minix Summary: Beware Triangle Drives Message-ID: <1730@Terra.cc.brunel.ac.uk> Date: 15 Jul 90 10:13:16 GMT References: <24314@nigel.udel.EDU> Organization: Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK Lines: 39 In article <24314@nigel.udel.EDU>, archer%segin4.segin.fr@prime.com (Vincent Archer) writes: > > Tom Arseneault asks: (Stuff Deleted) ..... > >What types of drives does it support, my ST has a SCSI adapter on it > > If your hard drive can be accessed using a driver that accepts Atari drives, it > should work. > > > Vincent > This is a BAD assumption. Remember firstly that MINIX uses interrupts and TOS doesn't. Some adaptor cards (like the early Supras) have exhibited problems with interrupt generation. Secondly, some drives - notably the early Triangles don't even use normal SCSI commands. They have a home-grown command set which won't work with the MINIX-ST drivers. In short - 1. If you have an existing hard drive, try MINIX on it before buying your own copy of MINIX. 2. If you are about to buy a hard drive, insist that the vendor demonstrates that it is MINIX compatible. This may sound a bit ominous - in 99% of cases you will be all right. On the other hand, do you want to bet on the odds of your drive being the odd 1% ?? Regards Andy Michael -- Andy Michael (eesrajm@cc.brunel.ac.uk) " Software cannot be written to 85 Hawthorne Crescent be completely free of errors." West Drayton Middlesex - Acorn Computers Ltd. UB7 9PA